Improvements in boots aid shoes



J @teiten gisten stent @fitte JOHNTG. MACK, or PHILADELPHM, PENNSYLVANA. Lettera Patent Nol` 60,024, dated November 27, 1866i SPECIFICA'zrronsr.

T0 ALL WHOM I'l MAY` CONCERN:

Be it known that I, J. C. MACK, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an improvement in Boots, Shoes, etc.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, refer ence being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of n b'oot. or shoe upper, constructed, as fully described hereafter, so' that it will vyield und accommodate itself to the shape of the wearer's foot, and so that the exhalations muy escape from the i lutter; the binding and undue heating'of the feet being thus prevented. y

' In order to enable others skilled iu the art to make my invention,A Il will now proceed to describe the manner in which the same is carried into eect. I

On reference to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification-J Figure 1 is a. side view, representing the upper," and s portion of.the `leg of a bootf'made according `to my improvement. A l Figure 2, a plan viewt and i., Figure 3 a section on the line 12, iig. 2, looking in the direction oi' 'the arrow;

l The upper, A, consists of two sections or pieces of leather, a and a', the inner edges of which are sewed together between the points z a', y y', so that there is a slit or opening,w, between the points a: y. At the r inner edge of the section a, between the points z y', is tongue or ilap, b, Ito the `outer edge of whioh are secured u series ai' short eTatcIbamd-s, u, `the outer ends of theltter being so connected t0 the buttons, d, secured to the side of the section a', ss'to be detachable from the same. To the under side `of each section'aa', near` the inner edge of the same, is secured one edge of a strip, e, of elastic cloth,` which is somewhat longer thanthe ap b. To the toevof the upper7 A, is secured the usual ornamental toe piece,D, which also covers the lower end of the y lisp 5. The upper is attached to the leg, E, and the sole is secured to'the-boot in the ordinary manner. t Boots of the ordinary construction, unless especially made for the wearer, can seldomfbe comfortably worn, as they lalmost invariably bind the feet too closely at one or more points; they are also so perfectly air-tight that the feet become heated, and are sometimes so seriouslyaffectcd ns to,injure the health of the wearer. f By forming the upper in two sections, connected in thecentre by an elastic materiel, as above described, the objections alluded to cre eil'ectually overcome, the elastic material yielding, so that the sections can seperate" slightly to accommodate themselves to the foot, while the exhalations from the foot eschpe thl'cughthe pores of the elastic material and through the opening between thesections. It will. be" seen that the lisp is held tightly against the section a', by the bends c, but thut the latter will yield,when "it is necessary, ,forf the sections to separate. Y ,Y Y It will be apparent that this invention is applicable to both shoes aud'boots.V I do not desire to claim if' l broadly a boot or shoe having a slit or opening in the upper, covered by ailap, as boots Lso constructed have been heretofore used, as in the patentof E. Alexander, dated August 4, 1863; but I claim ,as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A i 1. A boot or shoe having u slit or opening in the centre of the upper,' inccmbination with an elastic fabric extending across .said opening, all substantially as and for the purpose described. Y i V 2. In combination with the foregoing,iI claim the-elastic bands c, und buttons d; 0r their equivalents, the whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose speciiied. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speeication` in the presence lof two subscribing witnesses. i i

t JQHN c. MACK..

Witnesses.:

CHARLES E. Fos'rss,

JOHN WHITE. 

